MCA not one-man show, Liow tells Chua

The MCA in-fighting appears to have acerbated with deputy president Liow Tiong Lai firing yet another salvo at MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, for the latter's outburst against some MCA leaders.

Liow told Chua that MCA does not revolve around him, and that he should be more open to criticism if he wants MCA to improve after such a poor showing in the last polls.

"We should allow fellow party members - especially office bearers - to speak honestly, particularly if it can strengthen our party.

"The bottom line is, MCA is not a one-man show. I hope the president can accept this and accept this quickly, for the sake of the party," said Liow (left) in a scathing statement.

Liow - who heads the party's special task force for transformation - said that as for himself, whatever he had said, including in party vice-president Donald Lim's defence, was done with "sincere" intentions.

"My one priority now is to strengthen the party in an effort to make it more relevant within the community and national politics," he said.

Who's babbling?

Chua had yesterday accused Liow of double standards when the latter censured him for telling Lim off for questioning the MCA's resolution to not take up government posts.

Chua argued that Liow was "babbling" and had singled him out, and that Liow did not appreciate the fact that he had been patient with Lim for a while now.

However, in his statement today, Liow said that Chua was just out of line and had "no reason to attack" Lim.

"As for the president accusing me of babbling, my only explanation is that perhaps when the president hears things he does not agree with - especially comments that would help strengthen the party - it sounds like babbling."